The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-08-19
SOME COMPARISONS.

The article in recent issue of the
Pioneer Press regarding the arbitrary"
rates fixed by the Commissioners on Du-
,Iuth traffic to Mankato Uia the Omaha
road, leads to few suggestive facts con-
nected with rates made between the
Zenith City and the Twin Cities and
Mankato. 1t is an acknowledged fact,
and one that viii not be denied by the
railroads, that the clause in the inter-
state law which declares that common
carriers shall not charge a greater rate
per ton per mile for long than for q
short haul, is the most vital of all pro-
visions to the shipper, and the clear in
tent of the trainers of the act in making
this particular feature of the bill SO posi-
tive was to put stop to the unjust dis
ordinations which were made in favor
of central points and which fayoritism
was daily crushing out jobbers at small
Ter and less favored points who could
not compete in prices with their big
| neighbors because of the excessive
freight charges demanded over and
above what their competitors were
asked to pay. The Pioneer Press is mis-
taken in its assumption that the trainers
of the Minnesota railroad law had any
desire or intention to so construct the
provisions of the act that it should oper-
ate to Mankato's advantage over any
other interior CITY. They did believe,
however, and we are led to this convic-
ton by the careful manner in which the
act was formulated, that Lake Superior,
being vouchsafed to this country through
the goodness of the Almighty, belonged
to the whole country, and whatever adj
vantages it might afford to the populace
should be as impartially supplied and as
equitably distributed as possible, and
not that it should be available for few
favored cities and few greedy indivi-
duals. The representatives, therefore,
who framed this law, looked farther
than the outskirts of st. Paul and MIN
neapolis, and did what they believed to
be for the best interest of the State, and
which thus far is proving the wisdom of
their thought and labor.
If lit be true, as the Pioneer Press says,
that the Omaha road has been forced,
owing to the cut in rates on the Mime
sofa 6 Northwestern, to reduce rates to
Mankato 20 per cent. lower than those
fixed by the Commissioners, perhaps
that paper may enlighten this communi-
ty when the new tariff sheet is TO got in.
to effect. The tariff in effect this day
from Chicago to Mankato is: LIST class
&c.; I'd class, &c.; 3rd class, 47c.; 4th
class, 3lc.; 9Th class, 24c. A 30; B "a,
c 20; d IS; E IA.
AS against these figures, we find that
st. Paul is to-day enjoying the following
rates on freight from Chicago. LIST class,
&c.; I'd class, 4Oc.; Srd class, SOc.; 4th
class, 2Oc.; 9TH class, 123c. A 17}; B 10;
G l3; d 10; E s. While the shippers
and jobbers generally do not deny that
st. Paul and Minneapolis are entitled to
inside figures over those accorded Nam
kato, owing to the great volume of traf-
fic between Chicago and these points,
il does not seem hardly an equal di-
vide that our people should be made to
pay from so to 80 per cent. more, when
the distance is about equal.
Then again let us compare the rates
between Duluth and st. Paul and Duluth
and Mankato. Between the Zenith and
Capital City the following represents the
tariff: LIST class, 45c.; I'd class, &c.; 3rd
class, 25c.; 4th class, 2Oc.; 9th class, l0c.
Between Duluth and Mankato: LIST class,
S5c.; I'd class, 75c.; Srd class, 55c.; 4th
class. &c.; 9TH class, Soc.
The class that affects the jobbing in
terests is the 9Th. On this class st. PAUL
is asked to nay 10 cents per hundred
from Duluth, while Mankato, only 81
miles longer haul. is required to put up
40 cents, or three times as much. If
there is any merit whatever in the inter
state or state laws this discrepancy
should not be tolerated. Il isunreason-
able, not TO say unjust.
Is IL any wonder than, that the r. r.
Commissioners have demanded of the
Omaha company q reduction on Duluth
rates to Mankato from Soc. to &C.; from
75c. TO &c.; from 55c. to Sci from Soc.
to Soc; and from SOC. to 229c. Even
with this cut of from 20 to 40 per cent,
st. Paul has still lower rate per ton per
mile for short than for long haul,
when the law says that common carriers
shall not charge q greater rate for
longer than for shorter haul. But this
order of the Commissioners, received
here and served upon the Omaha of6ci-
ais the middle of last week, has received
no consideration as yet, and 1t is simply
a matter of guess-work whether they
will give any cogniEance to it or not: It
Is nresumable that the Omaha folks look
mon traffic from Duluth to Mankato as
interstate, and win pay no attention 70
the order of the. State Commission. II
40. the case will be appealed TO the
HIGHER tribunal with very little delay,
and decision asked forthwith. II the
railroad comes off victorious, well and
good, but if, IS is charged, unjust rates
are being imposed, they should % cut